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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24722179">Hunting High and Lowe</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loupgaros/pseuds/Loupgaros'>Loupgaros</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Cryptid Collection [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 76</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Other, Other character death, Politics, Swearing, elias talks to himself, finding calvin van lowe, he often travels alone so its noise, mention of riots, spoilers for the calvin lowe questline</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:34:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,409</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24722179</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loupgaros/pseuds/Loupgaros</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Elias is out a few months from the vault. And yet the past comes back with a vengeance. He never did wrap up what happened with Calvin van Lowe and a pricking of his conscience prompts him to look for clues. After all, people just don't go missing.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Cryptid Collection [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1787326</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hunting High and Lowe</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elias took another look at the poster. It proclaimed in bold words that a Sheepsquatch had eaten someone’s brother.</p>
<p>And the memories had flooded back. Oh boy. He recalled the awkward man, with his secretive hunched walk, the intense eyes and an intellect that was sharper than it really should have been. Calvin had given him the impression the man was secretly an animal in disguise and a prey animal at that. </p>
<p>25 years. Nothing had changed. Much. Lewisburg was still very much intact. The only difference was the fact the residents were ghouls but in his less than measured opinion, some of them had been anyway. They'd just worn more clothes back then. </p>
<p>He wiped the blood from the gauntlet and threw the rag away before entering Van Lowe Taxidermy. Best to show the place a bit of respect. He vaguely recalled Calvin had had a sister but the man was so secretive it had taken him until now to learn this one thing. Closing the door behind him, he took a look around. </p>
<p>It was still.. well, new? It wasn’t new new. But it looked like a time capsule. The display cases were still stocked. The heads on the walls looked a bit dusty. And the posters had lasted longer in here, their colours still vivid. It was impressive. This one room anyway.</p>
<p>There was a footlocker here. He opened it then pulled out the holotape. Turning it over and over, he shrugged then flicked the holotape receiver open on the Pipboy. ‘Alright. What have you got for me. What the fuck were you up to, Calvin?’</p>
<p>————————-</p>
<p>Moments later, he was shaking his head, heading upstairs. ‘Fucking hell, Calvin… Really hung up on this Sheepsquatch.’</p>
<p>The tape had been from his sister Shelley. Her voice had radiated concern and all she wanted to know was that he was safe. And to think they’d never bothered to check in with him. Mind you, he thought internally in a way he <em>hoped</em> was reassuring, what could you do when he’d kept everything to himself? Most cryptid hunters had done that, unless it was in their respective groups. You didn’t share. You hoped you got the discovery before anyone else did. But taht was with cryptid hunter stuff, when they were competitive. You still shared stuff about other things. Like family, hobbies and that. Elias had been good at that. Calvin hadn't. </p>
<p>The upper floor was bedrooms. Oh and an office. Elias paused outside the bedroom then sighed. That guilty feeling had crept up on him again and it was hard to shake off. </p>
<p>Another holotape. He just listened then threw the tape onto the destroyed bed after listening. Yep. Brain sharper than it really should have been. He had no idea Calvin’s issues had been deeper. The guy practically had to tell himself to function to get by. </p>
<p>There had to be something. Calvin was full of secrets. He was invested now. Only a couple of run-ins with the strange man and then he’d gone. He owed it to Calvin now.  </p>
<p>Terminal was here… No way onto it though. Elias carefully stood back up then ran a hand through his hair in thought. </p>
<p>Okay, think like a cryptid hunter. Wasn’t hard, he was one. You never allowed access without covering where your tracks were. So you put your passcode or similar in pieces or made it hard to find. So… </p>
<p>It had taken a leap of thought but he was back downstairs. That bone had looked odd and so had the note. It looked important. And then a cursory look upstairs again had revealed nothing. A lone Nuka Cola had been left so it was pocketted. </p>
<p>Okay waht was important was now in the basement. And he had to admit it was a very well-appointed basement. It had a washer, a dryer, some tables and taxidermy animals that fell into dust when he so much as touched them. It looked in good shape, all things considered. The creepy animal heads he could have done without. </p>
<p>‘Fucking creepy.’ He voiced this thought in a whisper. He wasn’t sure why. To talk loudly here seemed sacrilege. ‘Right. Knick Knack Paddy Whack… Give the wolf a bone. Only you’d think of that, Calvin.’</p>
<p>The safe opened. Inside, the passcode. It didn’t take a genius to work out what this was for.</p>
<p>Next destination: Bastion Park. </p>
<p>——————————————–</p>
<p>Thoughts circled in his head. It really hadn’t been long since he’d entered the vault, become a 76er and then had to leave to make the new world viable. And 25 years had barely changed anything. He was retreading old ground in a vain hope to calm the demons in his head.</p>
<p>‘Damn, Calvin… Shoulda said something.’ He glanced up ahead as Bastion Park loomed up. He vaguely recalled it. It was, or had been, a large green space with a children’s play area and a good hotspot for cryptid activity. He and Peter had been here before. They had caught rumours of a Mothman sighting nearby but their own efforts proved fruitless. </p>
<p>If only Peter was here now. He'd know what to do, what to say. </p>
<p>Okay. No time to dwell. There was evidence here and Calvin had been to meet someone code-named Bo-Peep. </p>
<p>Nothing in the vehicles. The insects were a nuisance but soon downed with a swipe. A grimace as he put the plumpest ones in his bag. Food was food. You had to eat. </p>
<p>Now it was clear, he could investigate. A quick search found a bag then another, and a note. He gave them all a quick look before he checked over his shoulder. Just the wind. He relaxed then set the papers he’d found out before him. </p>
<p>‘So… Calvin was gonna meet Bo-Peep, something about showing something… According to these, she didn’t make it.’ He stroked his beard, thinking aloud. ‘And who’s this Wolf fella? Did Calvin meet him?' He scratched his head in bewilderment. 'Fucking hell, what was the guy doing? This doesn’t sound anything like cryptid hunting!’</p>
<p>He sighed in frustration then checked his pipboy again. ‘Okay Wolf. I’ll play your game. Let’s find your dead drop. Real spy shit here.’</p>
<p>—————————————</p>
<p>Sal’s Grinders. Back home.</p>
<p>It pained Elias to be back here. There were still robots here, still patrolling to keep strikers out with their automated programming and voices ringing through the streets. Still monitoring those picket lines that no longer existed and just as happy to kill him as they had his father. </p>
<p>This definitely hadn't changed despite all that had happened. </p>
<p>Elias snuck into the diner and had to take a moment to steady himself. Seated with his head in his hands, his gauntlet laid out carefully. </p>
<p>He had seen the line where the miners had lined up, signs ready, banners unfurled. Then their allies had arrived, he knew that much. He recalled many shared the plight of the miners and wanted to make a show of solidarity. It had started peacefully, but loud. There was threat, maybe. Some signs had betrayed it but the intent was to show the anger. How it was unjust. Then the protectrons had struck. It had been chaos. In the middle of it, many families had lost the only bread winner. The human police left hadn't even stopped it. He would have bet caps if agitators had been involved. </p>
<p>Christ. He thought he’d have been able to cope. Before he was a 76er, he’d come back a few times. But seeing it like this, hearing those awful thuds of protectron feet… Memories were fucking tricky things. It had snuck up on him as he hid from the patrol. Nearly blinded him with fresh tears of raw anger and sudden sadness. </p>
<p>He rubbed his eyes, heaved a shaky sigh then stood up, picking up his weapon. Right. back to it. He could reminisce another time. </p>
<p>It was another holotape. This time, it was Wolf speaking to Bo-Peep. He listened then let the silence roll over him as it finished. It was only his somewhat laboured breathing that broke the silence. </p>
<p>Definitely not cryptid hunting. This was a well-thought out operation, top to bottom. There was something at the bottom of this. Wolf was definitely holding the puppet strings, and poor Calvin was dancing to the tune.</p>
<p>This was taking him back to Lewisburg for sure. But for Calvin, it looked as though it might have been too late at this stage alone. </p>
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